Prime Minister Kim Minseok Leads Third Day of Response to NIRS Fire: "Difficult to Confirm Restoration Timeline"

Fire in Computer Room Halts Over 600 Government Systems
Kim Chairs Meetings and Conducts On-Site Inspections... Orders Swift Restoration

Prime Minister Kim Minseok has continued on-site inspections and meetings for the third consecutive day to oversee the response to the fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS). With many of the core systems of the national computer network halted due to the fire, public inconvenience has increased, prompting the government to accelerate recovery efforts.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, Kim will chair a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) in the disaster situation room at the Government Complex Seoul on the afternoon of September 28, where he will receive reports on the damage status from each ministry and discuss future response plans. During the meeting, Kim is expected to repeatedly emphasize the swift restoration of civil service systems and the minimization of public inconvenience.

Prime Minister Kim Minseok visited the fire site at the National Intelligence Resources Management Institute in Yuseong District, Daejeon, on the night of the 27th, the previous day, to assess the damage situation and then made a statement. Photo by Yonhap News

Previously, on September 26, the day the fire broke out, Kim issued urgent instructions for firefighting and convened a situation assessment meeting. On September 27, he chaired a CDSCH meeting and then visited the NIRS headquarters in Yuseong District, Daejeon, to assess the damage. The fire was fully extinguished at around 6 p.m. on September 27, approximately 22 hours after it started.

At the site, Kim stated, "It is still difficult to determine the extent of the damage and when the computer network will return to normal," and asked for the public's understanding. He added, "We will respond by preparing alternatives such as accepting civil service requests in writing, activating substitute websites, and extending deadlines for tax payments and document submissions."

He also instructed, "Complete the restoration of the constant temperature and humidity devices and network equipment by tomorrow, and check first whether services directly related to people's daily lives can be resumed." He stressed the need for the prompt recovery of services such as Government24 and postal financial and delivery services, as these are directly linked to public convenience ahead of Chuseok.

Prime Minister Kim Minseok is inspecting the fire site with Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojung at the National Information Resources Service in Yuseong District, Daejeon, on the night of the 27th. Photo by Yonhap News

To Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojung, he said, "The restoration of the 96 systems in the fifth-floor computer room will inevitably take time," and ordered, "Identify as early as possible the systems that could directly impact people's daily lives and inform the public accordingly."

Meanwhile, the fire caused disruptions to 647 systems, including Government24, the National Petition Portal, mobile resident registration cards, and the internal administrative network 'Onnara System,' resulting in significant interruptions to administrative services.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.